


Planning a party for the world's weirdest kid

by crm16



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Magnus is smarter than taako gives him credit for, Minor Kravitz/Taako (The Adventure Zone), Taako overthinks things, set a few years after story and song, the rest of the main crew are really only mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 06:15:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13475421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crm16/pseuds/crm16
Summary: Taako has taken on the task of planning Angus's birthday. He has no clue what he's doing. What sort of party do you throw for a little boy whose only friends are adults, and whose major hobby is solving murders?





	Planning a party for the world's weirdest kid

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time really writing anything for this fandom, and I wrote the whole thing in about two hours. Come say hi: c-r-m-16.tumblr.com

The thing is, Taako's never thrown anyone a birthday party before. He and Lup had never celebrated, growing up. Their birthday hadn't fallen during the months they'd stayed with their aunt, the only relative they'd ever lived with that would have cared enough to do anything. Then they'd been on the road, and never got to know anyone well enough to even bother sharing their birthday. By the time they were older, and joining the IPRE, they hadn't really cared enough to do anything. Birthdays during the mission had only been celebrated for the first couple of years, before they stopped bothering, and even then they weren't really parties, just a cake from one of the twins at dinner.

So Taako has no idea what he's doing. And it's not like this is even a party for a normal kid, it's Angus. What sort of things would he even want at a party. All his friends are adults, and the only childlike interest he has is that book series he's obsessed with. Maybe Taako could murder someone, Angus loved a good mystery. It'd be hard to get guests involved with that though. 

He cant believe he volunteered to plan it! It's just that, Lucretia had brought it up when she was dropping Angus off at Taako and Kravitz's place, after the little boy had gotten out of earshot. It was so obvious that she was planning on doing it all herself, and Taako's still simmering anger had manifested as a sharp desire to outdo her in anything Angus related, recently. He knew that wasn't fair, but he's never been the best at handling things in a healthy or mature way. 

So, he had automatically offered to plan the party. And now, here he was, draped dramatically across the couch, frowning at the ceiling, with his feet in Kravitz's lap as his husband flipped through a book. 

"What sort of things do kids do at parties?" He asks, still looking at the ceiling. There's a cobweb up there that his eyes keep straying to.

Kravitz places a bookmark between the open pages of his book, then shuts it, glancing over to Taako. He shrugs, as Taako finally cranes his neck to look at him.

"Play games?" Kravitz suggests, uncertainly.

Takko abruptly sits up, and begins to gesture. It's a testament to how used to his antics Kravitz is, as he doesn't appear startled in the least.

"But what kinds of games? Would Angus even like them? He's not your typical child!" Taako says, voice rising slightly.

Kravitz chuckles, "He certainly isn't."

Taako sighs, and sets his hands in his lap.

"Are you going to give me anything useful here, Babe?" 

Kravitz smiles softly, and places a hand on one of Taako's.

"I've been a Reaper for centuries, Love. I cannot physically remember the last time I attended a birthday party. Much less one for a child. You're on your own"

Taako sighs loudly, and flops back on the couch, as Kravitz returns to his book.

\---------------------------------------------------------

Of course Kravitz was no help. None of their odd little family really was. Lup was in the same boat, party-wise, as him. Merle was only just reconnecting with his family, and so far, the couple birthdays his kids had had since he got back in touch had been celebrated with their mom. Barold would probably just suggest they decorate with skulls and raise the dead, or whatever other weird necromantic stuff he was pretending he wasn't studying these days. Lucretia was out of the question. Davenport wasn't really a kid kind of guy. And nobody else from the bureau really knew Angus that well. The only good candidate for helping Taako out with this was Magnus.

Which is how he finds himself seated in the kitchen of Magnus's home, located near the Hammer and Tails, surrounded by several large, and enthusiastic, dogs, and one large, and enthusiastic, human.

"Down, guys," Magnus says to the dogs (once he's done hugging Taako within an inch of his life, like they hadn't seen each other last week), "Johann, sit!"

Taako, brushes dog hair off his pants, and sits at the kitchen table. Magnus does as well, once he's gotten the dogs under control.

"Sorry about that," he says, jovially, "Training's still a work in progress."

"No worries, my man. I was wondering if I could get your help with something." 

"Of course," Magnus says, earnestly, leaning forward, "What is it?"

"Well, ch'boy's volunteered to help plan Angus's birthday bash, it's in a week, and I've got no clue what to do. I don't know what kids do at birthday parties, and even if I did-"

"Angus's interests aren't like most kids'." Magnus finishes.

"That's what I was thinking." Taako agrees, leaning back and crossing his arms.

Magnus thinks about it for a second and shrugs.

"I don't think this is as complicated as you're making it." He says.

Taako frowns, "I don't catch your drift, big guy."

"Yeah Angus has some strange hobbies, but there's really only one thing that really matters to him. I mean, enough that it would have to be featured at a party for him."

"What, murder mysteries?" Taako asks, confused.

Magnus laughs, loud and booming, catching the attention of a few of the dogs. Taako remembers when he used to jump every time Magnus laughed like that. Once he regained his memories it stopped startling him. One hundred years of hearing it had desensitized him.

"No, dingus. Us. You, me, Barry, Kravitz, Lucretia, the whole gang. As long as we're all there he'll love it. Just think of some group stuff we can do together, bake him a cake, and everything'll work out. It doesn't have to be perfect, you just have to try." Magnus assures him.

"You're suck a sap," Taako grumbles, "But it's not... terrible advice."

Magnus snorts, "Glad I could help."

It's actually, very good advice. If there's one thing the little twerp loves, it's his family, strange as they may be. And they're all so busy, that it's rare to get them all in one place at the same time. It probably hadn't happened since Taako and Kravitz got married. So as long as everyone showed up, and he knew they would, then the kid'd be over the moon. 

Taako thanks, Magnus, a little less grudgingly, and departs. After another rib crushing hug, of course. Once he gets home, he gets to work. 

\---------------------------------------------------------

Taako had assured Angus that he and Kravitz would take him out for a birthday lunch once Merle had dropped him off, to throw him off the trail. He'd been worried at first, that with his renowned skills of detection, the kid would see right through him. But surprisingly he bought it, and no one's better at playing gruff and disinterested than Merle, which is why Angus had spent the previous night with him.

The whole group is assembled in Kravitz and Taako's living room. Magnus, Lup, Lucretia, Kravitz, Davenport, Carrey, Killian, and Ren, all mill around, chatting. Except Taako, who paces anxiously, peering into the kitchen every so often to make sure the cake still looks alright. He'd spent most of the morning baking and icing it. Lup watches him with a grin.

"Would you chill out?" She asks, amused, "You're throwing a birthday party, not going off to war. You weren't this worried when you got married." 

Kravitz snorts, and Taako shoots them both a dark look, but doesn't respond. Then he hear's the sound of a portal ripping open. Heralding Barry's arrival with Angus and Merle. Everyone steps out of the immediate line of sight, except for Taako and Kravitz.

Barry enters view first, followed by Merle, and then Angus.

"Hello sirs!" He exclaims brightly. 

"Surprise!" The rest of the group shouts, and Angus jumps about a foot in the air, before breaking into a huge smile, once the shock wears off. 

"Happy birthday." Merle says, ruffling his hair. 

"You knew?!" The boy demands, grinning.

"Course he did, I had to have someone keep you busy while I set everything up." Taako says, at ease now that he can see how pleased Angus looks.

Angus whirls to face him, "Did you plan this?"

"Who else could have come up with such a brilliant surp-" He cuts off as Angus wraps him in a hug that could give Magnus a run for his money. Taako hugs him back, surprised as always by how tall the boy has become, his head fits just under Taako's chin now.

"Thank you, sir." Angus says, happily.

Taako smiles.

\---------------------------------------------------------

The party goes off without a hitch. They eat snacks, and the cake, and watch a movie. Angus opens his presents, several people got him the most recent Caleb Cleveland novel, and he accepts them all graciously. Mostly they just spend time together, Taako hadn't realized how much he missed having them all in the same place, though he's unlikely to ever admit it. 

It's getting late when everyone decides to call it a night. Merle heads out first, followed closely by Davenport, and then Lucretia, who gives Angus a tight hug, and a warm smile to Taako, which he returns. One by one the go, wishing Angus a happy birthday, until finally everyone is gone. Leaving Taako, Angus, and Kravitz. Kravitz heads to the kitchen to begin cleaning up the legion of dishes left from the party. Taako and Angus sit quietly on the couch. The boy is absorbed in one of the many copies of his new book. 

"Did..." Taako starts, causing the Angus to look up, "Did you like the party, Ango?"

"Yes, very much." Angus says enthusiastically, "It was so nice to have everyone together!" 

"You have Magnus to thank for that. I got a little caught up in the details. I was worried i'd plan a boring party." Taako admits.

"I don't think anything you do could be boring, sir." Angus says, laughing.

"Very true, little man." 

Angus is quiet for a moment, then he grins.

"Maybe we could do something like this again for your birthday. Unless you and your sister have plans." He suggests.

"I- we... We've never really celebrated our birthday." Taako says, caught off guard.

Angus shrugs, returning to his book.

"Maybe you should start." He says, softly.

"Yeah," Taako mutters, "Maybe we should."


End file.
